


to spill blood in the home of the goddess

by ikuzonos



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Character Study, Families of Choice, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Time Skip, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21542500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikuzonos/pseuds/ikuzonos
Summary: “I just find it suspicious,” Felix says, acutely aware of how her eyes narrow, “that a grown adult like yourself is best friends with a sixteen year old.”Felix and Mercedes have a talk in the cathedral.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic & Mercedes von Martritz, Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Mercedes von Martritz
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49





	to spill blood in the home of the goddess

The last place Felix wants to be, especially so late at night, is the cathedral. Unfortunately for him, it’s the most likely place in the monastery for Mercedes to be. His footsteps echo through the massive room as he traipses through it. Even with his best efforts to be quiet, it’s impossible to avoid making noise. Mercedes wasn’t in her room when he knocked, so this has to be where she’s hidden away. Just his luck.

Sure enough, she’s staring up at the statue of Saint Cichol, whispering a prayer under her breath. Moonlight shines down around her, almost like a halo. It's a good thing he has no strong feelings towards such imagery. Felix ensures that his sword is secure, then clears his throat.

“Ah!” Mercedes spins around, bringing her hands to her mouth as her eyes fly wide. “Felix, what are you- Oh my. It’s quite late, isn’t it?”

Felix replies curtly, “After curfew.”

Mercedes bows her head, looking apologetic. “My goodness… I completely lost track of time. I suppose you’ve come to turn me over to Seteth?”

“Hardly,” Felix scoffs. He can't believe he's entertaining this. “I came to talk. So be it if we both have detention by the end.”

Mercedes nods, sympathetic and serious. It almost makes him sick. “I see. Are you still upset about what I said to you the other day? About you reminding me of my brother?”

Yes, but this is not the time or place to get into that. Mercedes doesn’t know about Glenn, or what those words really meant to him, and Felix has no plans to tear into the trauma he does not have with _Mercedes_ of all people. He came here for one reason, and one reason only. His fingers brush the hilt of his sword.

“It’s about Annette,” he finally says.

Mercedes asks, “Is she all right? I hope she hasn’t gotten herself into more trouble. The poor thing has always been so rambunctious.”

Felix watches her carefully. Mercedes’ expression doesn’t betray any unease, but that doesn’t mean anything. If he’s wrong, then he’s just taken a necessary precaution considering the circumstances.

And if he’s right? ...Well, there’s a reason he brought his sword along.

“I just find it suspicious,” Felix says, acutely aware of how her eyes narrow, “that a grown adult like yourself is best friends with a sixteen year old.”

To his surprise, Mercedes relaxes. It looks like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. “So that’s what it is. Felix, it’s very sweet that you’re concerned for Annie’s well-being.”

“This isn’t about concern for anyone,” Felix growls, swiftly drawing his sword and pointing it at her chest, “It’s about whether or not I kill you in the next ten minutes.”

Mercedes smiles calmly as flames spark in the palms of her hands. The turn of her lips does not extend to her eyes. “Now, now. We can resolve this without violence.”

Felix eyes her carefully, then lowers his sword, but does not sheath it. “Fine. Talk.”

Mercedes says, “Annie is like a little sister to me. I care for her deeply, and I would do anything to make sure she grows up to be the talented person I know she is. I only wish for her happiness and safety.”

“You see a lot of people at little siblings,” Felix replies, suspicion still lurking in his throat.

Mercedes dips her head. “That is certainly true. As you mentioned, I’m a grown adult, and most of my peers are teenagers. It’s only natural.”

Felix huffs. “I wouldn’t say that. Especially since you're way too calm for someone who’s life rests on what she says next.”

Mercedes says gently, “You have a good heart, Felix. It's admirable.”

“I have no heart,” Felix snaps, raising his sword again, “I’m ensuring that Garreg Mach isn’t dealing with a predator on top of everything else.”

With the accusation finally out, the air between them turns cold. Mercedes looks away for a few moments, staring at the moonbeams streaming in through the windows of the cathedral. Even though she's standing right in front of him, she seems very far away. Felix wills himself not to waver as she takes in his words.

Finally, Mercedes says, “You won’t share what I’m about to tell you with anyone.”

Felix responds, “That very strongly depends on what it is.”

“That will have to do,” Mercedes sighs, closing her eyes. “I met Annie at the Kingdom’s School of Sorcery. She was such a small thing… a fledgling desperate for parental approval.”

Tension slowly leaks from Felix’s shoulders. The tone in her voice is raw and sad.

“Do you know about her father?” Mercedes asks.

Felix glances towards the ceiling, suddenly unable to watch her. “I can guess. Gilbert, right? Abandoned her like some filthy coward.”

Mercedes says, “Exactly. Annie needed… an older role model. And she needed someone to be proud of her. She worked herself to the bone every day, and that’s barely lessened, even now.”

“And that someone was you,” Felix says, filling in the blanks.

Mercedes nods. “Yes. To me, she’s a friend, a sister, a daughter… Annie is _family._ And we’re almost all each other has.”

Felix stares at her. Mercedes has a melancholic look in her eyes. Here, in this space of the goddess, he cannot doubt her, even if his own faith is more than lacking. She is weak and revealing the wounds that no person should speak of. There's hot bile in his throat.

“Okay,” he finally says, sheathing his sword, “I believe you.”

Mercedes smiles, but she is not happy. Her shoulders now bear a heavy weight, and she hardly seems able to support it. It's as though she aged a thousand years during this conversation; she looks drained and exhausted. His stomach churns. Is that guilt?

“You did the right thing,” Mercedes says softly, as though she can read his thoughts, “Please, do not feel upset. I merely have a lot to think about. Goodnight, Felix.”

He nods to her, and watches her slowly turn around and trudge out of the cathedral. Felix waits until she’s far enough away, then hangs his head and exhales deeply.

He was wrong. He’d wanted to be wrong. Shouldn’t he feel relieved? Why does his chest ache? The sword was a precaution, not an ending. Spilling Mercedes’ blood in the holy space was not his goal for the night. His head pounds. Felix rubs his temples, then sets off, and hopes nobody is awake to find him. 

“Idiot,” he mutters to himself as he treads towards the second floor dormitory.

Thankfully, he doesn’t run into a single person on the way there. Felix enters his room and sprawls on his bed, exhausted. Does he have to apologize now? Is that how it works? Felix isn’t even sure what he has to be sorry for. The moon shines in through his windows. Felix grits his teeth and rolls over to face the wall.

He supposes that in the morning, he’ll talk to her again. Maybe even without the sword.

Maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> anncedes shippers have no rights


End file.
